Thiers
France's cutlery capital, with a half-timbered old town clinging to a cliff. Visit the Cutlery Museum and the old water-powered mills in the Durolle valley.
For centuries Thiers has produced much of France's table knives and pocketknives. The famous Laguiole knife is also often made here. The old town is built into the hillside and preserves half-timbered houses from the 15th to 17th centuries. The Cutlery Museum displays the history of knife-making, and craftsmen give live demonstrations. You can order a knife engraved with your name at one of the town's many workshops. The "Mill Valley" in the Durolle valley preserves old knife-grinding workshops built along the river, and you can explore them on a walking path. The town is about 45 km from Clermont-Ferrand, roughly 40 minutes by car or train, making it a good half-day trip. Remember that knives must be checked in as luggage, so check the carry-on rules before buying.
Opening hours
Open all day; museum about 10:00–12:00, 14:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Vichy
- Saint-Austremoine Abbey Church, Issoire
- Riom Old Town
- Montferrand
- L'Aventure Michelin
- Plateau de Gergovie
- Basilica of Notre-Dame du Port
- Clermont-Ferrand Cathedral